Charges authorized in Sunday's fatal Rockford accident

ROCKFORD — Police announced today the arrests and charges against three teens in connection with Sunday’s fatal accident near Holy Family Church.

Chris Green

Editor's note: This story was edited to correct the spelling of Karen Shafer's name.

ROCKFORD — Police announced today the arrests and charges against three teens in connection with Sunday’s fatal accident near Holy Family Church.

Shortly after 12:15 p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to Holy Family Church, 4401 Highcrest Road, on a report of people breaking into vehicles in the church’s parking lot.

While officers were responding to the call, a Winnebago County Sheriff’s deputy spotted the teens who fled in a vehicle south on North Alpine Road. The teens got as far as North Alpine and Brendenwood roads before slamming into another vehicle.

The driver of that vehicle, Karen Shafer, 58, of Rockford, was transported to OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center where she died.

The three teens also were taken to Rockford hospitals.

The Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the case and authorized the following charges:

The 16-year-old male driver from Rockford was charged with reckless homicide, aggravated driving under the influence of drugs involving death, two counts of aggravated DUI involving great bodily harm, two counts of aggravated reckless driving, four counts of aggravated fleeing to elude, three counts of failure to stop after having an accident involving personal injury or death, DUI, driving while license suspended, disobeying a traffic control device, improper lane usage and improper turn at an intersection. The juvenile also was found to be on probation.

The driver was released from the hospital today and is being held in the Winnebago County Juvenile Detention Center.

His two passengers, Corey J. Butler, 17, of Rockford, and a 16-year-old male also were released from hospitals and were charged with violating probation.

Names of the 16-year-olds were not released because they are juveniles.

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